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Happy Constitution Day!

Today is Constitution Day in the U.S. Don’t feel bad if you didn’t know that because it’s a fairly new “holiday.”

Congress passed an act in 2004 – the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005 – that included requiring schools receiving federal
funds to hold an education program about our Constitution Sept. 17 each year. Of course, the act didn’t designate any extra
money to carry out this new requirement of teaching students about the U.S. Constitution, but at least it did provide some
places where teachers could find information regarding the Constitution. In addition, today was also declared Citizenship
Day.

Here’s what I find interesting about Constitution Day. Congress must believe schools aren’t doing enough in their U.S. history
classes to teach students about our Constitution, so there must be a Constitution Day to ensure the youth of America know
about their rights under the Constitution. Rights our forefathers fought for and found to be essential for those living in
the United States.

Yet, following Sept. 11, 2001, President George W. Bush and Congress have worked toward limiting and impeding on citizens’
rights under that same Constitution they are mandating students learn about.

I’m all for making sure young people learn about the history and importance of the United States Constitution because they
will be able to question and challenge the government when it works to restrict or even take away their rights under the Constitution
… that same Constitution they learned about Sept. 17 every year they were in school.

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